Arata Izumi

Arata Izumi (和泉 新, Izumi Arata, born 31 July 1982) is a retired Indian professional footballer of Japanese descent, who played as a midfielder. He is currently an youth coach with the Reliance Foundation Young Champs.

Arata Izumi
Arata Izumi
Personal information
Full name Arata Izumi
Date of birth (1982-07-31) 31 July 1982
Place of birth Shimonoseki, Japan
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)
Playing position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005 Albirex Niigata Singapore 22 (3)
2006 Mitsubishi Mizushima 25 (1)
2006–2007 East Bengal 14 (1)
2007–2009 Mahindra United 24 (2)
2009–2015 Pune 119 (25)
2015 → Atlético de Kolkata (loan) 11 (5)
2016 Mumbai 13 (1)
2016 Pune City 9 (1)
2017 NEROCA
2017–2018 Kerala Blasters 6 (0)
Total 243 (39)
National team‡
2013–2014 India 9 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:20, 18 July 2018 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12 December 2017

Izumi began his professional career in Singapore with Albirex Niigata Singapore and in his native Japan for Mitsubishi Mizushima before moving to India in 2006. He spent the first three years in India with East Bengal and Mahindra United before spending six seasons with Pune. He then went on to play for Atlético de Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune City, and NEROCA. With NEROCA, Izumi helped the Manipuri club earn promotion to the I-League. He then ended his career playing with the Kerala Blasters.

Izumi also represented India at international level, giving away his Japanese passport in order to do so. Izumi played nine matches for India between 2013 and 2014.

Career

Albirex Niigata Singapore

In 2005 Izumi started his professional football career with Albirex Niigata Singapore of the S.League.[1] Albirex Niigata Singapore was an affiliate of Albirex Niigata of the J.League.[2] Arata grew a reputation for his speed while in the S.League.[1] He scored his first professional goal of his career against Tampines Rovers in the S.League on 18 September 2005.[1][3] He then scored his second goal of the season on 30 September 2005 against Woodlands Wellington.[3] Arata ended the season with 22 caps in S.League with 3 goals and 2 caps in the Singapore Cup scoring 1 goal.[4]

Mitsubishi Mizushima

In 2006 after a successful season with Albirex Niigata Singapore in which the team finished 5th in the S.League,[3] Arata moved back to Japan and signed for Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima of the Japan Football League. While with the team Arata also worked for Mitsubishi Motors as a toso (a person of paints cars).[5] He worked 10 hours a day from 5 in the morning to 6 in the evening with the car company and then he spent 2 hours practicing with the football team. Despite scoring 7 goals and gaining 7 assists in 24 games during the 2006 season Izumi could not stop the club finishing in 17th place, 2nd the last that season.[4]

East Bengal

In November 2006 Izumi signed for East Bengal of the National Football League.[6] At first he struggled to get accustomed to the Indian climate but eventually he found his way. He ended his maiden season with the club with 1 goal and 10 assists in 14 games.[4]

Mahindra United

In 2007 Izumi signed for Mahindra United of the I-League, which replaced the old National Football League.[7] He began the 2007–08 I-League campaign with an injury that kept him out of football for six months.[7] He managed to come back that season, scoring 1 goal and getting 2 assists in 8 games.[4] The next season Izumi scored 1 goal and gained 5 assists in 16 I-League games.[4] That season Arata and Mahindra won the Durand Cup.[7]

Pune

In 2009 Izumi signed for newly promoted I-League side Pune.[8] Izumi has called his move to Pune as the turning point of his career.[8] In 2010, he finished the season with a career high 10 goals and 10 assists in 26 games.[4] He also scored an extra 6 goals in cup matches.[4] He was the top goalscorer among all midfielders and was also nominated as the best midfielder in the I-League by goal.com.[8] Izumi also won the Pune FC Man of Steel award from the club that season.[8] Arata continued his good form for the club in 2010–11 scoring 6 goals and getting 9 assists in 24 games.[9] On 22 October 2011 Izumi made his 50th appearance for the club in I-League in the opening match of the 2011–12 season against Shillong Lajong.[10] On 24 August 2012 Izumi extended his contract by 2 years with Pune FC.[11]

Atlético de Kolkata

In 2015 Izumi was drafted to Atlético Kolkata of the 2015 Indian Super League season. He started his campaign for the side with a goal against FC Goa in a high voltage 1-1 clash on 7 October. Six days latter on 13 October Izumi scored against Kerala Blasters in 2-1 win which was witnessed by a home crowd of sixty thousand Kolkata fans and legendary Pelé at Salt Lake Stadium. He returned after an injury almost a month latter and produced a match winning performance against Kerala Blasters in Kochi, coming off the bench and scoring twice on 84th and 90+3 minutes with his team winning the match 3-2.[12] His last goal came in a 2-3 defeat on 14 December against Mumbai City FC at Salt Lake Stadium on the final match of the group stage.

NEROCA

In January 2017, after playing with Pune City, Izumi signed with I-League 2nd Division side NEROCA.[13]

Kerala Blasters

On 23 July 2017, Izumi was selected in the 6th round of the 2017–18 ISL Players Draft by the Kerala Blasters for the 2017–18 Indian Super League season.[14] He made his debut for the club during their opening match of the season on 17 November 2017 against ATK. He started and played the whole match as Kerala Blasters drew 0–0.[15]

At the end of the season, Izumi announced his retirement from professional football on 18 July 2018.[16]

Style of Play

As player he can play anywhere on midfield and also as a False 9. Mostly Izumi likes to operate behind the striker or as a playmaker but also can play in as winger for his crossing abilities. Although he has been criticized sometimes for lack of consistency throughout his career.

International

On 24 August 2012, Izumi gained Indian citizenship, thus making him eligible to play for India at the international level.[11] Then on 29 January 2013 it was confirmed that Izumi had been called up to Wim Koevermans side for the friendly against Palestine.[17] Izumi then made his international debut in that match when he came on in the 64th minute for Lenny Rodrigues as India went on to lose the match 4–2.[18]

Since then Izumi has also been called up to India's 2014 AFC Challenge Cup qualification squad and their 2013 SAFF Championship squad.[19]

Coaching career

After retiring as a player, Izumi took up the role of youth coach with the Reliance Foundation Young Champs, the youth academy division for the Indian Super League.[16]

Personal

Arata was born to Akiko Izumi, a Japanese mother and Narendra Khambholja, a Gujarati father.[20] On 24 August 2012, it was officially announced by his club, Pune FC, that he has received Indian citizenship from the Government of India.[11] Izumi also holds an Indian name, Neelkanth Narendra Khambholja.[20]

Career statistics

Club
As of 18 July 2019[21][22]
Club Season League League Cup Domestic Cup AFC Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Albirex Niigata Singapore 2005 S.League2232100——244
Total 223210000244
Mitsubishi Mizushima 2006 Japan Football League2448200——326
Total 244820000326
East Bengal 2006–07 National Football League1411000——151
Total 141100000151
Mahindra United 2007–08 I-League814020——141
2008–09 I-League1614010——211
Total 242803000352
Pune 2009–10 I-League26100031——2911
2010–11 I-League2462020——286
2011–12 I-League2130030——243
2012–13 I-League2250021——246
2013–14 I-League171300030211
2014–15 I-League1904141——272
Total 12925911433015529
Atlético de Kolkata 2015 Indian Super League115——————115
Total 115000000115
Mumbai (loan) 2015–16 I-League13120————151
Total 131200000131
Pune City 2016 Indian Super League91——————91
Total 9100000091
Kerala Blasters 2017–18 Indian Super League60——10——70
Total 6000100070
Career total 252423041427130349
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References
  1. "Albirex Niigata 2005". Arata Izumi. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
  2. http://www.albirex.com.sg/ Archived 4 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine Niigata webpage
  3. "Singapore 2005". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
  4. http://arataizumi.com/news/stats.html Archived 25 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine Arata Izumi Stats
  5. "Mitubishi Mizushima FC 2006". Arata Izumi. Archived from the original on 30 December 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
  6. "Kingfisher East Bengal FC 2006–2007". Arata Izumi. Archived from the original on 30 December 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
  7. "Mahindra United FC 2007–2009". Arata Izumi. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
  8. "Pune FC 2009–2010". Arata Izumi. Archived from the original on 30 December 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
  9. "Pune FC 2010–2011". Arata Izumi. Archived from the original on 30 December 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
  10. "I-League: Pune FC 0–0 Shillong Lajong FC". Pune Football Club. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
  11. "Medio Arata now an Indian citizen; Pune FC extend contract". Pune Football Club. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
  12. http://www.goal.com/en-india/match/kerala-blasters-vs-atl%C3%A9tico-de-kolkata/2037325/report
  13. Thomas, Nevin (9 January 2017). "Arata Izumi: 'Neroca project great for Indian football'". SportsStarLive. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  14. "ISL 2017 player draft, as it happened: ATK, Jamshedpur FC and Pune strike big". The Field. 23 July 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  15. "Kerala Blasters 0-0 ATK". Soccerway.
  16. "Arata Izumi Retires". GoalBold (Twitter).
  17. "Arata Izumi becomes first foreign national to be selected for Indian football team". NDTV Sport. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  18. "India 2-4 Palestine". Goal.com. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  19. "Wim Koevermans names India squad for SAFF Championship". NDTV Sports. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  20. Biswas, Babua. "Pune FC holds a special place in my heart: Arata Izumi". Sportskeeda. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
  21. Arata Izumi at Soccerway
  22. "Arata Izumi Statistics". Arata Izumi. Archived from the original on 25 December 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
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